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meal planning - where do i start?

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  • quintwins
    quintwins Posts: 5,179 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    i plan per week as i go round the shop (i liek to take advantage of reduced stuff and offers) and i also look in the freezer before i go to see wat i have frozen from leftovers from the week before i find this works best for me, i weaned my son on all homemade meals he only had jars once because we were at a wedding that had no heating facilities, i made extra portions of stew/chilli/sherperds pie and froze in meal size protions for him for lunchs and then he had our tea he's never real been fussed on sandwichs ect but he loved rice so if i was stuck i'd do rice with frozen peas/sweetcorn or peppers and some spices, i saved a fortune compared to wat i spent on jars for my twins and even then they mainly ahd them for lunchs
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  • It is easier now my son is 19 months but he is just starting to try and get fussy. Some days he eats loads and others not so much so I try and make his meals up of components. His main meal then a yoghurt and some fruit and if he is still hungry some snacks like cheese and crackers etc.

    I tend to lack inspiration to get off the starting blocks I think without having the same meals all the time.
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  • quintwins
    quintwins Posts: 5,179 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    see we always eat at the same time, mainly because my oh works til 6 and the boys go to bed at 7, so by the time he'd eaten he's only get half an hr with them or we'd end up eating at 7/8 and my parents used to do that and i was always starving by then so we eat at 6, i also don't like this whole making diferent meals for everyone it's cheaper and less work my youngest is 1 1/2 so just eats wat we do

    you could try freezing homemade lasagna in portions aswell it goes down well here and spag bol
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  • Fruball
    Fruball Posts: 5,739 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 30 December 2010 at 8:18PM
    For days when your son is feeling a bit picky, don't forget that a snack can just as easily be a few little pieces of cooked chicken or roasted veggies, either cold or warmed up. Kids love picking at that sort of food and its a good way of introducing variety. (I've always been shocked that some people whose children didn't eat proper food at mealtimes would be given 'snacks' that I would consider treats, 'to make sure they aren't hungry!'. Much better to give them the same as they would have had for lunch or tea, in a different format.)

    As is making dips for them - could just be pureed carrots/peas/roasted veg or more elaborate but they love to dip breadsticks into dips ;) My two adored houmous when they were very small and would eat loads of it :D They still love it now.

    Also, kids love to 'cook'. When the twins were little, if they were grouchy and I hadn't prepared tea, I would give them a mixing bowl and spoon then as fast as I could i would chop bread into cubes, chuck it in the bowl, then cheese, straight in the bowl, it would get mixed and tasted ;) then tomatoes, cucumber pieces, halved grapes, raisins, veg... anything really and as they mixed, they ate :D

    OR smoothies - loads of fruit (mostly frozen/tinned) and a handful of almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds etc - that is prob one of the healthiest 'meals' a child can have and they think its a huge treat :D
  • quintwins wrote: »
    you could try freezing homemade lasagna in portions aswell it goes down well here and spag bol

    Spag bol is a fav is our house as is lasagna but I can never get it to freeze right. Mine seems too sloppy and just falls apart in the tupperware. Going to try it again though as this is a perfect "ready" meal in our house.
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  • Frugal wrote: »
    For days when your son is feeling a bit picky, don't forget that a snack can just as easily be a few little pieces of cooked chicken or roasted veggies, either cold or warmed up. Kids love picking at that sort of food and its a good way of introducing variety. (I've always been shocked that some people whose children didn't eat proper food at mealtimes would be given 'snacks' that I would consider treats, 'to make sure they aren't hungry!'. Much better to give them the same as they would have had for lunch or tea, in a different format.)

    As is making dips for them - could just be pureed carrots/peas/roasted veg or more elaborate but they love to dip breadsticks into dips ;) My two adored houmous when they were very small and would eat loads of it :D They still love it now.

    Also, kids love to 'cook'. When the twins were little, if they were grouchy and I hadn't prepared tea, I would give them a mixing bowl and spoon then as fast as I could i would chop bread into cubes, chuck it in the bowl, then cheese, straight in the bowl, it would get mixed and tasted ;) then tomatoes, cucumber pieces, halved grapes, raisins, veg... anything really and as they mixed, they ate :D

    OR smoothies - loads of fruit (mostly frozen/tinned) and a handful of almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds etc - that is prob one of the healthiest 'meals' a child can have and they think its a huge treat :D

    I never thought of that for my son! I always seem to have salad stuff in my head when it comes to picky foods. Roasted veg never crossed my mind.

    Some cracking ideas thank you frugal! Think I need to start thinking outside of the box. Similar to preparing his purees as a baby - his meals do not need a fixed format of meat, pots and two veg! :T
    Debt August 2009 - £30,525.50
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  • zippychick
    zippychick Posts: 9,339 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker I've been Money Tipped!
    Few threads which should help you ! I think the key to a lot of it is planning and organisation. :j:D

    meal planning - where do i start?

    Meal planning how do you do it?

    Save money by not meal planning

    Can you do OS and work full time?

    How to organise everything in my life OS?

    I'll merge your thread with the first one later

    thanks:A
    Zip
    A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men :cool:
    Norn Iron club member #380

  • zippychick wrote: »
    Few threads which should help you ! I think the key to a lot of it is planning and organisation. :j:D

    meal planning - where do i start?

    Meal planning how do you do it?

    Save money by not meal planning

    Can you do OS and work full time?

    How to organise everything in my life OS?

    I'll merge your thread with the first one later

    thanks:A
    Zip

    Thanks Zippy :D
    :beer:
    Debt August 2009 - £30,525.50
    Debt Paid February 2011

    Another one popped out of the woodwork...time to work hard again!
  • tootoo
    tootoo Posts: 681 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    Hello all, I try and follow the Grocery thread as I really need to cut down on our grocery spend but Im finding it very hard with a baby!
    I try to have a list of what I plan to make and then shop to that but I'm struggling to find time (I will try and plan next time...).
    So I'v had a food delivery this week and really want to stretch it as far as possible. I just wondered if anyone would be kind enough to help me plan if I posted what I have (I have plenty of meat and spices and herbs)?
    I always cook from scratch - tonights is already part done (homemade pizza - I've done the dough this morning).
    I feel bad for asking for help as I haven't yet contributed to this group but I don follow and read regularly.
    Thank you.
    tootoo
    MFW.....Apr 33 Aim - Dec 26
  • Hello, tootoo,
    Get writing down a list of what you have in the fridge cupboards etc and by the end of the day i'm positive you will have alot of meal plans to choose from, this bunch are brilliant :0)
    I will save my tesco £1 savings stamps this year! .......so far = £50 (full card#1)
    Card #2 £6. I will not be skint at Chistmas this year!

    Total £56
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